Outboard motors are a common propulsion system for boats, in particular smaller water-craft such as recreational motor boats, fishing boats and dinghies. Standard outboard motors are designed to be affixed to a transom or mounting board at the back of a boat and include an above-water engine or powerhead and a submersible propeller. Such outboard motors are generally detachable from a boat's transom so as to be transferred to another boat and/or stored when not in use (during the off-season for example). However, even smaller models of outboard motors in the range of 6 horsepower to 25 horsepower for example, can be too cumbersome and/or heavy for a single person to lift and carry safely or easily without assistance. Also, newer four-stroke outboard motors tend to be substantially heavier than their two-stroke counterparts. For example, a 6 horsepower two-stroke motor may weigh about 60 pounds while an equivalent four-stroke motor may weigh about 80 pounds. Likewise, 15 horsepower two-stroke and four-stroke motors may weigh approximately 80 and 115 pounds respectively and 25 horsepower two-stroke and four-stroke motors may weigh approximately 110 and 150 pounds respectively. These weights are too great for most people to lift.
There is therefore a need for apparatus to help carry and store outboard motors safely and easily when they are not attached to a boat. Furthermore, it is generally advisable to maintain an outboard motor in an upright or semi-upright position while being moved or stored, so that fluids such as crankcase oil or water do not leak into the cylinders of the engine. Such leaks may cause serious damage to the engine. In cases where a vehicle such as a pick-up truck is used to transport an outboard motor, there is a need to safely and easily load the outboard motor onto the carrying bed of the vehicle in such a way that the motor remains in a semi-upright position when loaded.